As wireless networks evolve and grow, there are ongoing challenges in providing high-quality service to increasing numbers of wireless devices in various coverage areas of a wireless network. One approach to improving service quality and coverage is to designate a wireless device as a relay access node for relaying communication between a base station or donor access node, and an end-user wireless device. Wireless devices designated as relays (henceforth, “relay wireless devices”) may be used at the edge of a coverage area of a donor access node to improve coverage and/or service, as well as in crowded areas having a high number of other wireless devices to increase the available throughput to the end-user wireless devices being relayed.
However, relay wireless devices may be limited in their ability to effectively service end-user wireless devices that are attached to it, particularly if the throughput of the backhaul connection between the relay wireless device and the donor access node is limited. Further, certain types of traffic that are resource-intensive (such as, for instance, voice over LTE or gaming) require bearers with a specific set of quality of service (QoS) parameters to ensure a satisfactory user experience. While wireless devices directly-connected to a donor access node may be assigned bearers with adequate QoS parameters, wireless devices attached to a relay access node may suffer from unsatisfactory user experience if the backhaul connection is assigned inadequate or otherwise different QoS parameters.